


A Breath Of Hot Air

by devilsspy



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Glee
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, F/F, Fluff and Angst, i did a thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-04
Updated: 2015-02-04
Packaged: 2018-03-10 11:40:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3289031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/devilsspy/pseuds/devilsspy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rachel is an airbender at an elite bending school. Quinn is a firebender student at the same school that makes Rachel's life hell. At least, that's what Rachel thinks...</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Breath Of Hot Air

**Author's Note:**

> So I had this idea for a fic and I didn't really know where it was going but here it is. The first bit was a bit hard/weird to write (I'm not a dancer so please don't blame me for it not being so great) but please stick with it and it will be different through out the rest!

Rachel closed her eyes, took a deep breath in and then let it out. Clearing her mind and steadying her pose, this had become her ritual behaviour prior to commencing a form. Opening her eyes she began, starting  with a push of air outwards, then pivoting her feet so she could bend out to one side, then the other. Her movements were continuous, constantly moving in circular motions that allowed her to change her direction with ease.

Rachel kept going with the form, she had practised it a hundred times already. Every step, jump, twirl, leap, and other possible move an airbender could work into a form she took and had committed to memory. But for her, there was no such thing as not enough practise, so this form was being done for the hundred and first time.

As it got towards the end she intensified the steps and moves to lead into the big finale, bending towards the ground to launch herself into the air and gracefully spin back down to a stop. As her feet gently touched the ground she mentally patted herself on the back for only being slightly out of breath (the first time she'd done the full thing through she'd collapsed immediately from exhaustion). However her breath hitched when she heard someone start to _clap clap clap_ behind her.

"You're getting good." Rachel turned around and froze, recognising the other person immediately.

Not even bothering to hide the disdain in her tone, Rachel said to the observer leaning against the door frame, "What are you doing here Quinn?"

The other girl chuckled and left the door frame to move further into the gym. "Exactly what you are. I've got the gym booked to practise my forms next."

Rachel still stood frozen in the same spot as Quinn moved slowly closer towards her. From her experiences so far, any interaction with the blonde firebender never ended up being a pleasant one, at least on Rachel's end that is. She didn't know why Quinn had singled her out on their first day as students at the Avatar Korra Bending School, proceeding to taunt and make fun of her ever since. It had caused Rachel to forever be on edge when Quinn was around, especially when they were in close proximity. Such was becoming the case now.

Rachel stepped backwards before Quinn got too close for comfort and turned around to grab her stuff. "Well I'm done now so it's all yours," she told the other girl, hurriedly packing her stuff into her gym bag.

"That's too bad," Quinn breathed out, in that strange heavy and deep way she seemed to use with Rachel that always made the brunette uncomfortable. "I was hoping we could practise together for a while, help each other with our forms."

"Why? So you can pick out everything I'm doing wrong?" Rachel couldn't believe how brazen Quinn was with her taunting. What would it take to make the other girl just leave her alone? Her bag packed, Rachel started for the door. Even though Quinn had stopped advancing, she was still between Rachel and her exit, so in order to leave, Rachel tried to go around her.

Quinn sidestepped, blocking Rachel's path. "You know Rachel, one day I'm going to be able to get you to really listen to what I have to say."

"Unlikely," Rachel scoffed, continuing around Quinn.

Quinn didn't try to stop her this time, but called out after her as she went, "I don't know why you hate me so much Rach, but you can't resist my hot moves forever."

The last thing Quinn said made Rachel pause mid step in the doorway, but she refused to turn around and give Quinn the satisfaction so instead moved sideways out of sight and put her back to the wall. What the hell had Quinn meant by _that_? Her hot moves? She knew the firebender was completely full of herself but she obviously didn't realise just how much.

Rachel could still hear Quinn chuckling to herself in the small gymnasium that the students were allowed to use to practise for the upcoming form competition. _Why me, Spirits?_ Rachel asked herself. Quinn had always succeeded in messing with Rachel's mind and Rachel hated it. Almost as much as she was going to hate herself for what she was about to do.

Once she was certain she couldn't hear Quinn laughing anymore, Rachel peered carefully around the corner of the doorway into the gym. Quinn was sitting cross-legged in the middle of the floor, facing away from the door, perfectly still. Rachel guessed that the firebender must be doing some sort of mediation, similar to what Rachel herself did prior to starting a form.

Rachel knew she shouldn't be watching, everything in her being told her to walk away and leave the other girl to her own devices, that she wasn't worth it. But there was another part of her that had crept in, a part that was curious to see whether Quinn was going to be a serious threat to her chances of winning the competition with her 'hot moves'. She wasn't sure how long she had been peering around the doorway for, but her anxiety at being caught started to rise the longer Quinn just sat there in the meditation pose. Surely she was going to actually do something, right? Rachel had seen Quinn perform a few times in class and while she was nothing compared to Rachel of course, she wasn't terrible. Perhaps Quinn had lost her edge...

Just as Rachel was about to give up and leave, Quinn stood up suddenly, causing Rachel to jump back behind the doorway quickly and in the process knock her knee against the wall so loudly that she was sure it could have been heard on the other side of the school. Hand clamped over her mouth in usual dramatic Rachel style to stifle any further noise, Rachel stood so still that she could have passed for a statue.

A second passed by, then another, and when Quinn didn't come bust her outside the doorway Rachel tried her luck again at peeking into the gym. Still facing away from her, Quinn was in a traditional starting position for firebending forms and Rachel unknowingly started to hold her breath in anticipation. When Rachel thinks back later on to what happened next, she finds she can't really remember exactly what it was that Quinn _did_. There was fire, there was bending, and there was a whole lot movement around the inside of the gymnasium. But Rachel has never witnessed that type of firebending style before in her life. Usually with firebenders their actions are very strong and dynamic, using powerful hand and leg movements. For an airbender who uses a more fluid motion it can almost be jarring to watch at times. But this, what Quinn does, it's practically mesmerising to Rachel.

It's almost as if Quinn is dancing around the room, flowing motions and twirls akin to those of traditional ballet moves. Not once does she stop, instead using the entire space to propel herself across the room with grace and added bursts of firebending. Rachel is in complete awe and forgets that the form is meant to be about the element that Quinn has control over. Instead all of her attention is focused on Quinn's body and the way Quinn uses her elemental powers to only enhance the dance she's doing.

Time no longer becomes a concept to Rachel, all she knows is that she cannot look away from the vision in front of her that has been going for, Spirits only knew how long. Then Quinn goes to pirouette upward, superbly using her firebending to give herself an extra boost so that as she goes up into the air (much higher than any non-bender would have been able to go), she is able to create a spiral prison of flames around herself. The scene gives onlookers the illusion that the girl is being engulfed by fire. Rachel can't help but think how amazingly beautiful Quinn looks suspended up in the air, rising up with such elegance surrounded by the flames.

As Quinn comes down, she extinguishes all remaining fire so that as she lands in the middle, all that surrounds her are a few sparkling embers that fade out in the air to nothing. It doesn't even register in Rachel's mind that that was Quinn's finale ( _or the similarities between this finale and her own_ )and that the blonde girl was now standing there, breathing heavily from the exertion and staring right at her. At some point during the performance Rachel had unintentionally moved from her safe observer's spot peering around the doorway to standing right in the middle of it. There was no way in hell that she was getting away unseen.

Neither girl said anything as Quinn continued to catch her breath and Rachel was still completely stuck in the moment. The corner of Quinn's mouth pulled up into a smirk and her hazel eyes blaze in a way Rachel has never seen before.

"So, what did you think of my hot moves?"

Instead of a reply all Quinn gets is a brush of air as Rachel propels herself away down the hall and as far from that gymnasium as she possibly can.

 

* * *

 

Rachel spent the next week and a half at school avoiding Quinn as much as she could. For the most part she is very very successful, especially considering she shares 3/5 classes with the other girl. Whenever she saw Quinn coming down the hall, she turned and went the other way. She stopped having lunch in the cafeteria. She even rescheduled most of her gym sessions so that there was no chance for any more run-ins, even going to such lengths as coming late and leaving early, just to be on the safe side. Because running into Quinn in the gym was JUST what Rachel needed right now. Hah.

And avoiding Quinn like this was no easy feat on Rachel's part at all. Almost everywhere she turned, there's Quinn. If Rachel were a paranoid person she would have thought that Quinn was stalking her, but she's not so instead just chalks it up to strange coincidences. Even if she had thought she'd heard Quinn calling her name a few times as she'd raced down the hall in the opposite direction...

Rachel tells herself that all of this avoidance is because if Quinn caught hold of her, Spirits only know what her and her unholy trinity friends would do to her over the _gym incident_ , as Rachel had started calling it to herself. Anyone else might think that Rachel was in denial, instead avoiding Quinn because the _gym incident_ had made her uncomfortable in a completely new way. That she'd seen another side of Quinn and she'd felt something other than anger and she didn't know what to make of it. And not to mention that whole _hot moves_ thing...

No, that couldn't be it, Rachel told herself. It was definitely because Quinn would torment her endlessly. Therefore it was safer to just cut all communication with the other girl, and so far everything had been working out well.

All of Rachel's fine planning and organisational skills to avoid Quinn became moot however after one of the simplest of problems, Rachel needed to go to the bathroom. This alone of course wasn't a problem, what was the problem is that the universe seemed to be completely against Rachel when it comes to luck and coincidences.

Rachel was just finishing up drying her hands and about to leave the bathroom when who should walk in but, you guessed it, the blonde firebender. Both girls started with surprise at seeing the other but Quinn was quicker to recover from the shock.

"Rachel!" Quinn exclaimed with a giant smile on her face.

This was most definitely not part of Rachel's plan, time to abort.

"I was just leaving," she tells Quinn, moving to abscond as quickly as possible, only to have Quinn side-step to block her exit, similar to that of the dreaded _gym incident_.

Infuriated, Rachel opened her mouth to protest but before she can Quinn cut her off.

"I've been looking for you all week."

Rachel was not completely surprised by this, surely Quinn hadn't gotten her dose of bullying Rachel so had needed to seek her out in order to do so. However if Rachel is anything, above all else, it's proper and respectful and she won't stoop to Quinn's level so instead replied politely with, "Oh, me?"

"Yeah," Quinn said, still with a giant smile. "If I was a paranoid person I'd say you've been avoiding me."

"Why would I be avoiding you?" Rachel's feigned ignorance is almost believable. Almost.

"That's exactly what I've been asking myself." Quinn's eyes and smile showed that she doesn't believe Rachel's ignorance whatsoever. More than that, Rachel got the feeling that Quinn knows exactly why she's been avoiding her, the real reason. That damn gym. This is exactly what Rachel has been trying to avoid and lo and behold, here it is thrust out into the open. So Rachel does what she decides is the best course of action, which just so happens to be the same course of action she took last time - run.

"I really need to go." Rachel aimed again to go around the blonde and leave the vicinity with great haste.

When Quinn side-steps _again_ to block her path something in Rachel snaps and all the politeness in her disappears. "For Spirit's sake Quinn! Would you please-"

But Quinn cuts her off again by hurriedly saying, "I need your help!"

Rachel is genuinely taken aback by this. This and the fact that Quinn actually looks nervous, and that she's trying very desperately to keep Rachel from leaving.

"You need _my_ help?" Rachel asked, not entirely convinced.

"Yes!" Quinn's eyes light up with satisfaction, almost as if it was some great idea she'd just come up with. "I er, I-I wanted to know, if you'd help, me..-" Quinn appeared to be having immense trouble remembering what it was that she needed Rachel's help with, thinking very intensely as she worded her question. "-If you would help me, er, with my forms!" She says suddenly, very pleased with the final outcome.

"You want ME to help you with your forms?" After Quinn's performance in the gym this seemed like a very odd request to make, as far as Rachel could tell Quinn didn't need anyone's help with forms. And this made her suspicious. "Wait, is this some sort of trick?"

"What?" Quinn's face fell, this was obviously not the response she was expecting.

Rachel only scoffed, "Of course, I turn up expecting to help you and instead you're there with your unholy trinity friends ready to embarrass and humiliate me as much as you can."

"No, Rachel-"

But the brunette interjected, starting to get infuriated again. "After everything you've put me through!"

"Rachel-"

"-you torment me endlessly-"

"Please-"

"-ever since we met and I've had enough of it Quinn, I really have."

All of Quinn's attempts to get a word in fail and the shorter girl's arms had started waving around animatedly while she was ranting. It's so distracting to Quinn that the blonde takes Rachel's hands gently in her own and says to her, "Rachel, stop!"

The physical contact freezes Rachel immediately, not knowing how or when this happened but suddenly being very aware that Quinn has very soft hands. Content that Rachel's outburst has stopped, Quinn tells her, "I would never do that to you Rachel, I would never want to torment you."

Rachel tries to say something in response but she still hasn't quite recovered from the physical contact so only manages stammers out, "I-I er-"

Quinn looks directly into Rachel's eyes and smiles as she asks Rachel, "Do you not understand what you mean to me?"

Rachel blinks a few times and manages to get out a coherent, "I-I thought.." but her brain appears to have had some sort of meltdown in the past 5 seconds and surely she didn't hear Quinn right but is the other girl saying what she thinks she's saying?

Quinn looks away a little bashfully and goes on. "I mean I thought I was making it clear. With all the compliments and praise and wanting to be around you all the time. And the _hot moves_..."

"Compliments?" Rachel repeated dumbly, her brain appearing to be recovering from its meltdown. _Compliments?_ She said again in her head. All those times Quinn was insulting what she wore, how she did something, the grades she got. She thought back to them, ran the scenarios through her head again and she feels like she is experiencing it all again but in a completely different way. She had _assumed_ that Quinn had intended for her words to hurt and insult but if you thought of them as a compliment instead...

Rachel looked back at the blonde who is waiting expectantly for her to respond. It was almost like Rachel was seeing a completely different girl before her, and one that was now sending her into sensory overload. Rachel's heart started beating much louder and quicker and suddenly she was much more aware of the physical contact between them, _yes, they were indeed still holding hands_ , how close they were, and just how _good_ Quinn actually smelled.

Nah-uh. Oh no, this was not happening right now, here in this bathroom or ever. Rachel quickly dropped her hands from Quinn's and started for the door again. The only thing she can think of now is escaping that bathroom with her composure intact and thankfully this time Quinn doesn't side-step to stop her. But as Rachel is halfway out the door Quinn calls out back to the other girl, causing Rachel to turn around and see the big smile Quinn had before starting to fade, "Good luck with the competition next week Rachel, you're going to do amazing."

Rachel's mind is racing with a million different things, all of which are related to what has just transpired and the blonde firebender that has up until now been making her life hell (and in a way, still is). Her only logical conclusion for how to deal with it all at this exact moment is to go back to her usual plan A that has worked so well for her so far, run.

 

* * *

 

The next week following the 'bathroom incident', as Rachel called it now, passed by in a bit of a haze for Rachel. She returned to her normal routine, attending classes and gym sessions normally and stopped trying to avoid Quinn. Even though everything was back to normal however, it really wasn't.

Nearly everything she did seemed a bit off and at first Rachel couldn't understand why until two days before the forms competition when Quinn's name is called in class but the other girl is not there. It is only now that Rachel realises that she hasn't seen Quinn once since the _bathroom incident_ and like mostly everything else that's had to do with Quinn lately, she just tries to ignore it and the revelations she's had concerning Quinn.

The more Rachel tried NOT to think about it however, about Quinn, the less effective she was and of course Quinn ends up being all she can think about. The way Quinn smiled at her in the bathroom. The way Quinn's hands felt in hers. The way Rachel's stomach gave a little flip when Quinn said her name in that deep and heavy way...

The best way Rachel found to distract herself from her Quinn troubles was to throw herself into her bending, the only aspect of her life that was going normally. In fact her bending was going better than normal, her bending was in top form and her practices had been practically perfect. Even though she knew she had no chance in hell of beating Quinn in the forms competition, Rachel Berry was still Rachel Berry and would therefore still be competing to the best of her ability.

The day of the forms competition arrived and there was an electric feeling around the entire school. The forms competition was an annual event held by the Avatar Korra Bending School and was split up into two parts. The first was the actual competition, where the best benders in the school competed to show off their mastering of their respective elements and conducted polished performances.

While there was usually a winner picked for the overall best performance, there were also awards given for excellence in each element and also in some specialisations. Usually the earth and metal bending categories were taken out by one of the various Beifong progenies (the lava bending and lightning categories were a bit more competitive). There were a few other descendents of historically famous benders scattered throughout the other elements but Rachel was not one to let something as simple as "my great-great-great grandfather was Avatar Aang!" stop her from taking top spot.

Part 2 of the day was the special ball held at night by the school for all the students to attend and congratulate the contestants on their performances throughout the day. It was meant to be a time for everyone to relax and unwind after all the hard work they had put into for the semester and preparing for the big day.

Rachel arrived early at the school's performance hall on the day, ready to give the audience a performance they'd never forget. Even if it would be nothing compared to Quinn's.

As Rachel was registering herself in at the organiser's desk with the other contestants she took a moment to go through the list of names, getting an idea of her competition. When she got to the bottom of the list however she frowned and went back over it again from the start, certain that she had been mistaken.

She reached the end of the list again and the same result as the first time. The name 'Quinn Fabray' was not on the list. Rachel would have continued staring at the piece of paper if the organisers hadn't shooed her away to get ready as she was beginning to hold up the other students in line.

Rachel went to the practice room where they were able to get ready and do their warm-ups but her mind was completely distracted from what she had to do. All she could think about was the fact that _Quinn wasn't competing._ Why would the blonde firebender NOT compete? She was a sure winner with the performance she gave at the _gym incident_ and Rachel just couldn't understand it.

Then Rachel realised something very important. With Quinn not competing, she actually had a very good chance at winning the competition. A VERY good chance. Rachel made the decision to put Quinn out of her head (or at least try) and switched to performance mode where she was focused, in control, and quite a frightening figure to the other contestants to be honest. This was her time to shine, and Rachel wasn't going to let it slip away from her.

\---

As Rachel finishes the finale move of her form she can't help the beaming smile that comes to her face from the cheering and applause she receives from the crowd. She had hit every movement perfectly, more than that even she had thrown in an experimental, and extremely risky, airbending addition to her form that came off without a hitch and in her opinion, cemented her chance at the first place title (she had been practising it, if anyone could do it, it was Rachel Berry).

Bowing respectfully to the School Masters who were acting as the judges for the competition, and then to the crowd, Rachel was ecstatically drunk on the cheers she was receiving. As she exited the stage she took one last look back at her adoring audience and for a second she thinks she sees a familiar mop of blonde hair moving up and down excitedly as the person is clapping furiously and cheering her name. Then Rachel was back stage again and the other students were congratulating her on her performance and she almost forgets about the face in the crowd that was cheering the loudest. Almost.

\---

When the judges call out Rachel's name as the first place contestant of the competition she is only slightly surprised by it. She is after all, Rachel Berry.

\---

The congratulations keep coming when Rachel arrives at the ball that night, everyone knowing exactly who she is and what she did to earn the first place trophy. She had gotten ready for the ball with her friend Kurt, another airbender who competed that day and who had insisted on helping her pick out a stunning pink dress for the occasion the week before.

Even though Kurt hadn't received any awards, he had gotten a commendation from the Air Master and so was also on a bit of a high tonight, although nowhere near Rachel's. Kurt abandoned Rachel fairly early to the hordes of people wanting to ask her about her forms and 'where did you come up with that twirl?' once he spied the cute firebender boy he's had his eye on all semester.

Rachel watched Kurt go over to Blaine with a bit of jealousy, there was no one here that she was expecting to dance with tonight. There were a few Earth bender boys, Finn and Puck, who were always trying to get Rachel to go out with one of them. They weren't really her type but she supposed if there were no other options they might be fun for one dance at least.

Eventually Rachel excused herself from her group of staff and peers, the dean had already been by and congratulated her personally, and headed towards the balcony for some fresh air. As she leaned on the railing, looking out at the moonlit courtyard below she thought about how she had gotten everything she wanted.

This was everything Rachel had been working towards. She had gotten first place. Earned the applause and respect of her peers. All of her dreams had come true that day and Rachel supposed that meant that she couldn't be happier. Because who wouldn't be happier? That's what happens when all your dreams come true, _isn't it? Then why did she feel like she **could**_ _be happier?_

Rachel didn't have time to finish that strange thought she just had because she was interrupted by a now all too familiar voice.

"Rachel?"

Rachel spun around faster than you could say _my cabbages!_

"Quinn!" The blonde stood there before Rachel, looking uncharacteristically shy in a beautiful blue dress.

Both girls went to speak at the same time.

"Congratulations-"

"You look amazing-"

"Sorry!" They both said quickly. "You go first!"

Quinn laughed at how in sync they were and gently gestured to Rachel, "please, you go first."

Rachel visibly swallowed, she had forgotten how soft and lovely Quinn's voice was. "You look very pretty tonight Quinn." Rachel could have sworn she saw Quinn blush but the other girl turned away with a smile.

"You're one to talk Rachel, you look stunning." This time it was Rachel's turn to blush. Quinn took a step towards her, adding, "I saw your performance today Rachel, you were fantastic."

The blushing continued; it flattered Rachel to no end that Quinn had gone to see her performance, let alone have her praise her so highly on it. However Rachel was a little torn because it brought her back to the fact that Quinn had not competed herself, and Rachel being Rachel wasn't sure that she'd be able to let that go. Curiosity was always going to get the better of her, so she supposed it was now or never.

"Quinn?" She asked.

"Yes?"

Rachel took a deep breath. "Quinn, how come you didn't register for the forms competition?"

Rachel wasn't sure how she was expecting Quinn to respond but she especially was not expecting Quinn to simply smile and shrug. "I didn't feel like competing."

"But you're bending is incredible!" Rachel blurted out and then caught herself, feeling a little embarrassed by the outburst. "I mean, you would have definitely won with your form. From what I saw the other day at least..."

Quinn came next to Rachel and leaned on the railing next to her, much like Rachel had been doing previously. Even with the close proximity between them causing Rachel's stomach to do little flippy things, she just couldn't let it go. "Quinn, I don't understand. You would have been a sure winner."

Quinn turned to Rachel and smiled that smile that caused the flippy things to do somersaults as well. "Winning isn't everything Rachel. Even if I had won the competition, it wouldn't have been what I really wanted."

Rachel was afraid of the answer but asked the next question before she could stop herself. "And what is it that you really want?"

Quinn looked down at Rachel's lips and then back to her eyes. It was probably the first time that night Rachel saw the smile leave Quinn's face. When Quinn looked back down at Rachel's lips the airbender shut her eyes in anticipation but nothing came. Instead she felt Quinn move past her and start heading back towards the buzz of the ballroom.

"Quinn wait," Rachel called after her, grabbing the other girl's arm.

"Rachel, _please_." The pleading in Quinn's tone took Rachel by surprise and she saw Quinn was almost on the verge of tears.

"Quinn, what's wrong?" Rachel was too concerned about the other girl to notice the coincidence that this time it was the firebender that was trying to escape the brunette.

The blonde sniffed back a tear and turned sadly to face the person preventing her from leaving. "Nothing's wrong Rachel, I just need to learn to live in reality."

Rachel let go of Quinn's arm and thought hard about what the blonde had just said. "Quinn does this-does this have anything to do with why I haven't seen you since the _bathroom incident_?"

Quinn chuckled at how Rachel had given the encounter a name, it was very Rachel Berry of her. "Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I suppose I was a bit much, even for Rachel Berry."

Rachel couldn't help but smile at that, though she still didn't understand. If she was correct, and from what was transpiring this very moment she was sure she was, Quinn had feelings for her. But if she had feelings for Rachel why go from practically stalking her to avoiding her?

It was almost as if Quinn read Rachel's mind because she elaborated quietly with, "I got the hint Rachel. You aren't interested and I finally realised how uncomfortable I was making you so I decided to give you some space."

"I-" Rachel started but stops, not knowing what to say. She hadn't been interested, she had been uncomfortable and annoyed and frustrated with Quinn. But that was before she realised what Quinn's intentions really were. Now? Well even though she had tried not to, she had been doing a lot of thinking about where she stood now and maybe it had something to do with the fact that even though all of her dreams had come true tonight, she hadn't gotten that level of joy and thrill she was expecting. Perhaps it was because there was something more she needed to get before she simply couldn't be happier.

Quinn turned to leave again, misreading Rachel's long silence for confirmation in her mind that her conclusions on Rachel's feelings had been accurate.

However she stops when a small voice behind her says, "What if I don't want space?"

Quinn's breath hitches and she's not sure she heard properly but the tiniest glimmer of hope starts to form in her mind.

"What if," Rachel continued, Quinn still facing towards the ballroom, "what if I really missed seeing you this week, and talking to you, and hearing that charming laugh of yours?"

Quinn turned slowly back around to face Rachel, her heart rate starting to pick up.

This time Rachel took a step towards Quinn, not knowing where all this confidence was coming from but it is and she's using it and things now just somehow felt so, _right_.

"Maybe," Rachel all but whispers as she leans in closer, "maybe I'm seeing things a little differently now."

Rachel goes to close the remaining gap between her and Quinn, specifically the gap between their lips. Quinn's eyes close and when she feels soft lips on hers it's like a breath sighs out of her that she didn't know she was holding.

The kiss is soft and slow and sweet and more than anything the two girls could have ever imagined. They can feel each other smiling into it, which only causes the other to smile even more. Rachel can't believe how incredibly warm Quinn feels, though she supposes being a firebender might have something to do with that.

When they break apart and look at each other they can't help but giggle before going in again for another kiss. This time it gets more insistent though, suddenly hands are in hair and they're pulling each other closer and it's almost as if they're trying to use up the last bit of oxygen on earth.

When Quinn's back hits a wall, the shock brings her a little bit out of the bubble they had created for themselves and she has to make sure she isn't just dreaming. "Rachel, Rach!" She tries to get in between the kisses that Rachel is now trying to move down her neck. Much to her utter delight, but alas someone has to be the voice of reason.

"Rachel, please."

Rachel pauses at Quinn's words this time, brow furrowed. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing's wrong," Quinn tells her genuinely. "I just, I've been waiting for this moment for so long and I'm just-" Quinn's not quite sure how to put it. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

Rachel looks Quinn dead in the eye with that 'are you kidding me?' look and says to her, "Quinn, have I ever been the type of person who doesn't go after what I want when I'm sure?"

Quinn bashfully tries to look away with a smile but Rachel cups her face gently, bringing it back to her own. "You're the prettiest girl I've ever met," Rachel tells Quinn. "And there's no one else I'd rather share this night with."

Rachel's words seem to wash away the rest of Quinn's fears and hesitations, along with giving Quinn an idea. Grinning, she grabs Rachel's hand and starts to pull her back towards the ballroom. "Come on," she tells her. "Let's go celebrate your win with some dancing."

Rachel's smile is ear to ear with the biggest grin she could possibly have. In this moment she just couldn't be happier so she let's Quinn drag her towards the dance floor where the other students are.

"Besides," Quinn adds. "I still need to show you more of my _hot moves_." The wink seals the deal, Rachel decides this girl is a keeper.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, please let me know what you think, I'd really appreciate it!


End file.
